130 



is a span to a foot and more long ; pinnules from J an inch to an inch long. — It 

 lias however some atfinity with our Nephrod. subquincjitejidum from tropical 

 Africa ; and I am not sure but future observation may i)rove them to be identical. 

 Our N. variahile is another allied species, but far more compound; and that is 

 a native of tropical America as well as of tropical Africa, and these may possibly 

 all be forms of one and the same species. 



118. N. (Lastrea) sub(jninquefichnn, Hook.; caudex long 

 creeping sliglitly paleaceous with blackish subulate scales, 

 stipites distant 6-12 inches long slightly paleaceo-pilose at the 

 base only, fronds a span to a foot long and as much broad 

 subcoriaceo-menibranaceous blackish-green when dry, gla- 

 brous normally cordately five-angled more or less acuminate 

 (or cordate tripartite the lateral divisions with the lowest in- 

 ferior pinnte very much elongated) tripinnate, primary supe- 

 rior pinnae deeply pinnatifid with obovate very obtuse sub- 

 sinuated segments the lowest pair bipinnate with the basal 

 inferior pinnae much elongated deflexed and pinnated, vein- 

 lets twice or thrice forked, sori small rather distant interme- 

 diate between the costule and the margin, involucres very 

 small reniformi-orbicular. — a, tripinnatum ; five-angled, pin- 

 nules numerous subobovate or unequally obovate or sub- 

 rhomboid obtuse. Aspid. subquinquefidum, Beav. Fl. Oivar. 

 et Benin, i. p. 34. t. 9 (1804). Willd. Sp. PL v. p. 214. 

 Metten. Aspid. p. ^i\. Lastrea, Pr. Aspid. protensum, /Sii;. 

 Syn. Fil. p. 51 (1806). — /3, elonyatum; five-angled subbipin- 

 nate, pinnae and ultimate pinnules generally much elongated 

 and acuminated. — 7, securidiforme ; frequently only tripartite, 

 two inferior angles suppressed, pinnules very large almost 

 uniformly hatchet-shaped. 



Hab. Very common in trojjical western Africa and islands, from Senegambia 

 (Brunner) to the south of the line {Curror),Palisot de Beauvois, Afzelius, Voi/el, 

 Irving (Abcokouta), Baikie and Barter, 3/a»?n.— I'alisot de Beauvois's figure well 

 represents what may be considered the normal state of this plant ; but I possess 

 some remarkable varieties. In /3, some of the pinnules are lanceolate, finely acu- 

 minated, 3 inches long, entire or scarcely lobed. In 7, the pinnules are almost 

 uniformly 2 inches long, ^ an inch broad, obtuse, with a truncated base, so as to 

 be almost exactly hatchet-shaped. 



119. N. (Lastrea) Vogelii, Hook.; caudex slender creeping, 

 stipites slender filiform 1-2 inches long pilose rather than 

 paleaceous at the base, fronds 2-4 inches long subtriangulari- 

 ovate acuminate membranaceous pinnate suljbipinnate below, 

 pinnae oblong-lanceolate decurrent at the base lobato-pinna- 

 tifid obtuse the lowest pair again subpinnate, veinlets twice 

 or thrice forked, sori on a superior branch of 'the veinlet nearer 



